Love Happens
by filipinojalapeno
Summary: Of all things Laurence Dominic decides to do on his off day, it is go on a date. With his carefree, happy neighbor. LD/OC Follows S1
1. Chapter 1

Early mornings and late nights are not things Laurence Dominic are particularly fond of

He drank a coke on his dark leather couch, hair dishevelled but still stiff from gel. His eyes reflected exhaustion, his wear reflected disarray. Work slacks and a wife beater. He hadn't bothered to do anything more then take his uncomfortable suit off.

His appearance was quite different from his surroundings. His apartment was medium sized- not small, but not large either, all his things arranged in a military like organization. Clean. Proper, in his eyes. Unlike his current state.

He was hungry, but much too tired to do anything about it. Laurence often found himself like this, worried about his health. With Echo, it happened more and more frequently. Nights starved but exhausted. He pushed the Active- the rogue Active, he believed- far out of his mind. His loneliness and hunger already depressed him enough. The fact he would likely die because of that damn Active and Adelle's lack of attentiveness to his word was enough to make him seeth.

His eyes struggled to stay open, watching the television news. He was only slightly interested. Mind blank. No, not blank. He was not an active.

Mind resting. Mind tired.

A light knock at his door made his eyes flutter open. His eyes had been closed longer than he had anticipated, as the program he had been watching had already faded into commercials, now beginning once again. He squinted, the moving picture and colors hurting his tired eyes, standing wobbly to open the door. He wasn't exhausted to the extreme, but he had nearly fallen into a deep sleep. He mentally thanked the visitor. He hadn't set the alarm for another early morning.

Laurence twisted the door handle, opening it up to the well rested face of his neighbor. She greeted him with a smile that he returned warmly. Jennifer was truly wonderful. He now remembered how he managed to stay alive- Jennifer and her wonderful cooking. Jennifer Richards was an extremely popular chef, with a restaurant centered about her recipes, and with the occasional tv job, always centered around cooking. She was the real deal, no food network hack at all.

Her brown hair hung well past her shoulders, and she dressed in evening wear. Although she was quite the successful adult, she dressed like a teenager to bed, with yorkie patterned pajamas and a fitting t-shirt. In her hands there was a large plate covered with aluminum foil.

"Jen, you really do save my stomach every time you come here." Lawrence said. Jennifer smiled a bit broader with the praise, brown eyes sparkling.

"I looked outside earlier and noticed your car wasn't here. Another late night, I'm guessing?"

Laurence beckoned her inside, half realising that he'd likely be laughed at by his other neighbors if they saw what he was wearing, and half feeling it was best to have a conversation not through a doorway.

He chuckled at her question tiredly. "You could say that."

Jen had set the plate on his black granite counter, stepping back to him. She was short, maybe 5'2" or 3", wide hipped and shoulders proportional. She looked up at him, seeing the bags under his eyes. "You really need to take a day off, sir. You look exhausted." The woman had always been brutally honest.

"Please, call me Laurence, I've had quite enough of 'sir' for a lifetime." He replied lightheartedly. "And I simply can't, not with one like mine. The place would turn to hell if I even thought about it."

Now, Jen smiled with a small laugh. "If you say so." She put a hand through her hair, getting it out of her face, then walking to the door. "I'll leave you to rest, then. I tried to not let the food get too cold. It sure isn't steaming anymore, but it won't give you brain freeze either."

"It's perfect however it is, Jen. Thank you so much." Laurence followed her to the door, seeing her off before closing the door and beginning to dig into the food she'd left.

Laurence moved into this apartment around half a year ago when he simply decided he needed a change. A strange occurance for a man like Laurence, of course. He had enough of change at work. But, it was slightly larger, and he felt more comfortable in the space. It also lacked nosy neighbors, he had found. People here had money, and with that money, they simply cared not for what happened about them. He knew them all as acquaintances, no one asked what he did. They knew he had money.

Jennifer moved in two months ago. He knew her too as an acquaintance, but not on the same level as the others. It was borderline friendship. He had met her walking out of the building one day, and promptly that night she had given a meal to him. It was around midnight, and he had just collapsed onto the couch when there was a knock at the door. A tentative, light knock. He wasn't sure if he had heard it right at first. But, upon opening the door he recognized the tiny, dark haired chef. She had a plate of food in her hands, and simply said "You can't be serious" when he replied that she didn't have to do that for him. She was too caring for her own good, he decided, but the exchange became very frequent. He didn't even have to call, when he stumbled in late it was assumed he had no time to eat. Laurence wasn't one to have a late night adventure to McDonalds.

Okay, maybe it was friendship. Maybe it was a lot of friendship. Laurence couldn't help it- he'd been without unprofessional company for so long. He yearned for it. He'd developed a liking for her, but not one of romance. Just one of friendship.

His mind immediately went into rest when he'd finished eating the baked chicken and cheesy broccoli. Jennifer had tuned herself to his likes, and sometimes, he wondered why anyone would ever care about him. Other than his mom and his dad, and his sister at times. He didn't think himself to be a very likeable person.

He changed into a pair of boxers with a yawn, laying heavily into his bed.

* * *

Topher was absolutely frazzled. Eyes open in a wide panic that was seen very often nowadays. Laurence despised the little cocky shit.

"I don't know where Boyd is. Handler-Man is MIA, and Echo's vitals are..." Topher bit his lip lightly, straightening out the charts."See, th-this chart? They're off it."

Dominic narrowed his eyes. "Boyd checked in with Central eight minutes ago. Apparently, a member of Echo's crew absconded with the target item and locked the rest of the team in the vault." He paused slightly. "Explains the change in vitals."

Topher seemed a bit annoyed with Dominic now, his eyes narrowing slightly too. "This is a special skills felony engagement. I wove more than one thread of unflappable into that tapestry." Seeming to be at ends, he slammed the charts down onto a table. "Okay? Echo could have an exploded belly bomb, and her heart rate shouldn't go past 65 beats a minute."

Laurence felt almost like laughing. "Maybe you made a mistake in the programming." It was the most likely cause. 'Boyd. He communicated with her recently.' He suddenly thought as he moved away from the thorn in his side to the screen, beginning to look into Echo's vitals.

Adelle stood stoically before suddenly jumping to action. "Something's wrong. I'll initiate contact."

Topher made a drawn out 'uhhhh..' "Yeah, Echo's not picking up her cell."

Adelle's eyes narrowed. "You reached out to an Active on an engagement without my say so?"

"It's the adrenaline!" He defended, "It makes me forget my protocols and q's.."

Laurence's eyes narrowed as he watched the vitals. "Echo's vitals spiked when she was talking to Boyd." He began playback. A screech emitted from the receiver, and Laurence's lip twitched. "What the hell was that?'

"Play it again." Adelle commanded.

Topher's eyes widened as he listened to it a second time. "Th- that's not...uh uh." He turned to Adelle. "That didn't happen." He animatedly pointed to the screen while explaining frantically,"How do I know that didn't happen? Because it can't happen!"

"Topher," Adelle replied softly. "What can't happen?"

Laurence turned and crossed his arms. "This goes nowhere good."

"I- I'm pretty sure...kinda positive, that something happened. The exact same thing just...without the chair.."

Laurence fumed quietly. Remote fucking wipe?

"You've stated that remote wipes weren't possible."

Topher went into rapid explanation mode as Laurence tried to meet eyes with Adelle. She seemed at a complete loss, staring at the floor.

"This is not my fault!"

Adelle sat down. "We'll parcel out the blame later. What happens now is the reputation of this company. We have an engagement to complete."

* * *

By the time Laurence stumbled into bed, it was early morning. He was absolutely exhausted, bags permanently set under his eyes. His head hit the pillow without any sort of grace, and he turned on his side, taking off his shirt with his eyes closed. His mind barely wandered with his exhaustion.


	2. Chapter 2

Repetition is a way of life.

Get up at 5, take a shower. Let the water roll over your back, let it burn small red trails into your skin, then wake up, splash your face, and soap up. Clean your hair. Wash your face. Set out, shave. Suit, tie, slacks. Maybe different colors every now and then, with the tie. He put together his outfits the day he did his laundry, save for the tie. Cereal, milk. Frosted flakes or apple jacks? Or his guilty pleasure, cookie crisp? Head out the door after watching the news while eating, pile in the car, head to work. Scrutinize the dolls on his daily rounds before checking in with Dewitt.

This morning was very different. He had been given the day off, so he woke up at 9. He forgot the suit and tie, skipping the shower and getting the cookie crisp out of the cupboard, sitting on his couch with his bowl, flipping the channels. Soaps, spongebob. A kids channel. His thoughts wandered on the thought of having kids. He'd have to deal with this all day...

He pushed the thoughts away, settling on a shitty scifi movie that was on much too early, ignoring it while he ate. His mind went back to kids. He was getting closer to forty, would he ever? He always supposed he'd find a girl, but he never tried.

He shrugged to himself, putting his bowl in the sink and dressing in jeans, a t-shirt. He wondered to himself why he did so for a moment before laying back down on the couch. He felt way too tired to do anything, but still, there were things to be done.

A headache began to pound in Laurence's head as his phone across the room buzzed. He groaned, picking himself up with a huff and retrieving it. He unlocked his motorola, more then sure it was from Dewitt cancelling his off day. He felt more than relieved when it was from Jennifer.

_'Hey, I really hope I didn't wake you up, you rolled in late last night. How about lunch, if you're free? It's on me.'_

Laurence thought for a moment about it, the idea motivating him to get up out of bed and head to the shower.

Looks like dressing in jeans instead of chilling in boxers all day was a good idea.

* * *

Jennifer was dressed in a summer skirt, floral, a navy blue peasant top with buttons above it. She had put on a small amount of makeup, hoping that he wouldn't notice. She felt like a schoolgirl, and couldn't help it. She found it obvious that she liked her neighbor, Mr. Dominic, Laurence. He just had looks that struck her, and she felt that it was alright to show him that. Not that she was going to be extreme- he was serious, work oriented. She didn't want to screw him up. If something developed, then she'd be delighted.

In fact, she was delighted at the moment, for he had accepted!

She was sitting in her living room, nervous. God, it was like the day of prom, after getting all dressed up for her date. Her date, like Laurence, had never seen her dressed up. Not that this was dressed up, but compared to pyjamas...

A knock at the door startled her out of her thoughts, and she stood from her couch, opening the door to find Laurence, clean, and yet still exhausted looking.

"Hey there." She smiled, one that Laurence returned.

Laurence did notice the makeup, happy that it was natural. He could tell easily that she had the makeup on- dolls had given him experience in telling. "Morning."

Jennifer closed the door behind her, locking up and beginning to walk with him down the hall to the elevator. "So, where are we going exactly?" Laurence admitted to himself he felt a slight bit nervous. It was amusing to him. Rogue actives made him nervous, and on that level, the girl next door did as well.

"Weeeeell." Jennifer started as they reached the elevator. "If I have permission to have us do anything, then you pick a restaurant, and then plan as we go along."

"Oh, so you didn't plan anything?" Laurence gazed at her with those cool blue eyes. Jennifer turned her brown eyes away nervously.

"Not exactly. I don't really...plan, y'know?" Jennifer shrugged as they reached the ground floor. "So, what resturant?"

"Yours." He said immediately, and Jennifer seemed to beam. They stepped out onto the sidewalk.

"Well, then that means the meal is free, then. Gee, woulda figured you were sick of my cooking at this point. Wanna walk there?" She said quickly.

Laurence gave her another sweet smile. "Sure. I have a feeling I'll never be sick of it." Laurence's mind wandered back to earlier, with his thoughts about never trying to date a woman. This could be considered a date, right? He mentally shrugged. She blushed, he saw it as a good sign. He somewhat regretted saying that, suddenly. He was giving off hints...and with his occupation? Suddenly he began thinking about what would happen if he were arrested...

"So," Laurence said as they walked down the street, breaking their awkward silence. "Why the random lunch date?" Date. Should he have called it that?

Jennifer walked quietly for a moment or so, as if collecting her thoughts. She suddenly felt awkward. What should she say? 'Well, I think you belong on a hollister shopping bag'? I dont think so.

"I..ahm, just thought that you needed a day away. Not that I think you don't ever do-"

"I don't."

"Well, there you go!" Situation half avoided!

"Thank you for thinking of me." Laurence said suddenly after a few moments of silence, looking down at the lady beside him. Yeah.. He thought, eyeing her legs for a second before looking at the rest of her. Her eyes looked straight forward, her hair hung loosely. She's pretty...

* * *

"No!" Jennifer laughed, a twinkle in her eye and a glass of wine in her hand. Wine with lunch. Oh, who cares. "No, it's not gross! I promise!"

Laurence shook his head. "Sorry if I think liver is disgusting. What else are you gonna swear by? Rocky mountain oysters?"

"Oh god, no!" She finished her wine with a sip, setting her glass down. Laurence had finished his not long before, both their plates empty. "No." She dabbed her lips with a napkin, smiling at the waiter who came to fetch their plates. "Thank you so much." She said to him before he left, leaving a healthy tip.

"Dang, you must love your waiters." Laurence said. Her tip was nearly 40% of what would be their bill.

"They have a hard job. People can be assholes, forgive me."

"Not any language I've never heard." Laurence replied with a shrug. "My mouth is probably worse."

Jennifer smiled, standing. "So, how about the park?"


	3. Chapter 3

They were overlooking a park on a wooden bridge, Jennifer throwing leftover bread to the ducks and fish below. The water sparkled clearly with the afternoon sun as they spoke, moving over to a grassy area to sit down. It was now undoubtedly a date. Laurence, even with his fears of the future, found himself comfortable with her. She was an honest, open person, something that may end up with her hurt, but her life was fairly safe, and Laurence simply couldn't see the girl harming anything.

"Your turn."

A questions game has arose between the two, probably half fueled by the wine that had made them both happy and bouncy. Laurence felt a lot more awake now because of it.

"Tell me about something weird or funny that happened to you in middle school." His questions were more specific, Jennifer found.

"Hmm..." Jennifer searched her memories. "Okay, so, in middle school there was this redneck kid- well, there were always redneck kids, but this one specific boy was a bully. At least to me he was. I walked home from school then, this was in like eighth grade, and he would always follow me around and mess with me. My mom got me this dog from the pound, and he was a massive mix. Never knew what he was, but he had this deep throaty growl and was about as big as a german shepherd. Anyway, I was walking home and this kid was messing with me, as usual. Throwing rocks and saying my hair was too long because it went down to my butt then. And somehow my dog had gotten out, and I saw him running down the street, yelled for him, and he saw that kid pull my hair and make me fall down. My dog was just a loveable oaf, and he barked and ran to lick me, but the kid thought the dog was gonna kill him so he tried to jump a fence and ended up tearing his pants on it!"

"Showed him." Laurence replied. "Your turn."

"Okay..mmm...same question, but high school."

"I didn't really have anything interesting happen to me during high school." He replied with a shrug, suddenly distant. "I was concerned about college."

"C'mon, your girlfriends dress break at prom or something at least?"

"Didn't go to prom." He shrugged.

"Hmmph. Okay." She decided not to press him on that subject. After a moment of silence, and suddenly said, "New question. Are you okay?"

Laurence had been lost in his thoughts suddenly, thinking about his life up to this point. The thought of his years at college led him to it, it was something he hadn't pondered on for a while. He was in the middle of feeling disgust at himself for having to support the dollhouse when Jennifer interrupted his thoughts.

"Yeah." He replied almost robotically, looking to the grass where he tugged at grass. "Just work."

Jennifer laid back into the grass, closing her eyes. "You really need to just not think about it. The world won't explode if you just..let go, you know." Her hands felt the grass around her, pulling her long hair out from under her back. Laurence already felt that him, being here in a park sitting in the grass with a woman was enough letting go, but couldn't help being slightly persuaded.

"That's just it. The world might if I do." Jennifer laughed, a laugh Laurence could wish he could replicate in his own way. It was carefree, stressfree, happy...

"No, it won't. Not if it's only for a day. Or a couple of hours. We can negotiate."

Laurence looked down to her, studying her face for a moment. She still had baby fat on her cheeks, not so much that it make her cheeks huge, but her facial profile was soft and rounded slightly. Her hair reflected red in the sun, and Laurence had the urge to touch it.

He laid back too, and Jennifer smiled. "Okay, maybe for a couple hours." He breathed, gently touching her locks at the ends where he figured she wouldn't notice. They were quiet for a few moments, before Jennifer suddenly threw her locks of hair onto Laurence's face.

"What the-"

"Tag, bitch!" And she stood and bolted.

Oh, god. She was too carefree. But despite this, he gave chase, Jennifer's laugh filling the empty park. She hid behind a tree, suddenly feeling very alone, looking around the trunk to find the park empty behind her. Wasn't he just behind-

"Ahh!" She shrieked playfully as Laurence lifted her up around the middle, squirming. Her short frame was easy for him to lift, and he laughed at her squirming, tickling her sides to evoke more laughter from her. He liked her laugh, he decided, as she curled up into a ball to protect herself, still laughing.

"Okay, okay!" She shrieked, settling down as he sat beside her, holding his hands up in surrender. She sat up, daring to try to tickle him, which resulted in no response.

"I don't get ticklish." He said, looking at her devilishly. She scooted a little away from him.

"I take it back!"

"You better."

They sat in silence for a while, before she asked,"So what is it do you do for a living?"

Laurence replied smoothly "Security. For a company I can't name." He'd said it more than once before.

"Ohhh, so you're like a secret agent? Am I on a date with a blonde James Bond?" She replied in a joking way, taking his hand in hers as she laid back and examining it. Laurence nearly pulled away, but decided against it, instead watching her, amused.

"You know, you have a lot of funny habits."

"Like what?" Jen asked.

"You're examining my hand for one." She dropped his hand. "Didn't say it was a bad thing, did I?" With that, she took it back, looking over the lines in his palm. "When you drink wine you stick your pinky out, and you blush easily. And you act like you're six."

Jen shrugged. "I'm just a really happy person is all. I don't have any reason to be serious all the time, I don't think anyone does. I think being serious all the time is a downer. And hey, if you didn't enjoy it, you wouldn't have chased me."

"Got me figured out huh?" Laurence said, looking down at the girl.

"Nah, just a few things. You helped me, y'know. I know your favorite color is hunter green, and that you're James Bond in disguise. Oh, and that you really like Ford." Jen dropped Laurence's hand, sitting up and leaning against him. "And that you either don't mind people touching you, or you're comfortable with me."

Laurence looked down at her. "The latter." He touched her auburn hair again. "I'm sorry if I'm awkward. I'm thirty-nine and I feel like a teenager on his first date, honestly. You're not my first date but it's been so long...not that I had many. "

Jen turned to face Laurence with an accepting smile. "I'm not the sexiest girl on the block. I'm awkward too and, as you put it, act like a five year old sometimes. It's okay, really."

"Six." He looked down as his phone buzzed. He slightly grimaced when he saw it was Adelle cancelling his off day. There must be something going on, if it was so late in the day.

"I'm really sorry, I have to go.." He looked at her with a pure apologetic look. Jen held up a hand.

"Duty calls, I get it." She smiled. "How about I make you dinner to make up for it?"

Laurence frowned slightly. "I'd accept, but I don't know when I'll get back.."

She shrugged. "Breakfast or dinner. Yeah?"

"Yeah."

They stood, she dusting off her skirt after he held a hand out to her. They began to leave the park in silence, quiet company enough until they reached their doors. The sun seemed to falter under the clouds as they walked, and Jen felt a bit sad at his leaving. She was honestly enjoying their time together, and desperately hoped it wasn't just a one time occurrence.

He stood at her door with her now, she turning to bid him a farewell.

"Look, I really had a good time today..." He began, unsure of where he was going. "..and you've done so much for me. If there is any way I can help you, or repay you...you tell me."

Jen shook her head. "It's no big deal. Seriously. But, if you really wanna repay me..." She looked down the hall to make sure they were alone. "Just do it again with me sometime? If you want to, though. I had a lot of fun." She then gave him a small kiss on the cheek, blushing profusely. "Have a good rest of the day.."

And she entered her apartment, leaving Laurence outside with a small, goofy smile on his face.


	4. Chapter 4

Laurence felt bad.

Really bad.

It was no mystery to him that his little relationship with his neighbor that he allowed to develop was one he was particularly liking. A lot. Maybe it was the fact he'd been lonely so long, or the fact they seemed to be comfortable together. Or the fact that she was, and has consistently been, trying. She had and still has been trying to make him happy, trying to give off hints. But whatever the reason, he was letting himself fall too far into it, and he, for the life of him, couldn't figure out and didn't want to figure out how to dig himself out.

And why did he feel bad? Well, simply because it had been a week and a half since their last outing and he hadn't talked to her since. Dominic could feel himself becoming soft. Geez, a week and a half and he missed a girl he went on one date with? What was he, fifteen?

Anyway, that was exactly why he was standing in front of her door, setting down a vase with a single yellow rose- yellow, he found out, was her favorite color- and a small card tied on with glittery ribbon. He was dressed for work, and had left home early in order to fetch the flower. This gesture made him feel better about himself, and he strode down the hallway, smiling to himself when the elevator immediately dinged and opened when he pressed the button,

'When you wake up, open your door.' He texted her this as he was walking out of the building, putting the phone in the pocket of his suit jacket.

* * *

Jennifer also felt horrible, for she saw his lack of communication as a rejection. God, why did she even bother? It wasn't like she was beautiful, totally not in his league. She was milling around in her bathroom, looking at herself in the mirror. Her face was too round, for one. She was short, slightly overweight. Her mouth was small, her eyes weren't remarkable. And her hair? Ugh. Split ends and way too long. She thought about cutting it for a moment before burning that idea out of her mind. She'd spent so long growing it out...no way she was doing that for a man. Yeah, Jen had some self confidence issues, but nothing that she couldn't get over.

Sighing, she thought that she would lose weight, then snorted.

Yeah, that was totally gonna happen.

She left the bathroom, having had enough of eyeing herself in disgust, opening up the fridge and taking out some bacon. There was leftover rice in the cooker, she would eat it with bacon, So what if it was weird, it was resourceful! And lazy. Which might be why she was slightly overweight.

She cooked the bacon, saving the grease in a tupperware before sitting down and eating her rice and bacon. She watched the news, pulled into a story about a little boy falling down a well before finishing her breakfast, watching for a few more moments when a brief advertisement came on.

"The Dollhouse, reality or fantasy? Could this urban legend be real? We go in depth in a thorough report tonight at nine with Ron Ferald."

The dollhouse. Just a mixup of urban legend and too much sci-fi channel. The thought was disgusting, though. Human trafficking was basically the lot of it. She couldn't imagine how it all would work, and she pushed it out of her mind. Not like it would ever matter to her anyhow.

She cleaned her bowl, heading to her room to get dressed so she could go to her restaurant. She paid no mind to her phone as she passed, putting on an appropriate skirt and top. She simply shoved her phone into her purse, trying not to think of Laurence. She'd waited for him to speak to her at all for a week, and it was unhealthy to allow herself to be stuck over a guy she barely knew. She slid on a pair of heels before clicking to the door, opening it and nearly running over the vase at her feet.

Jennifer,

I'm really sorry I haven't been around. Forgive me and my work schedule. Can you do dinner, Sunday? On me. And until then, I promise to text at least.

L.

Jennifer could scream in happiness, but she didn't She composed herself, taking the vase inside and placing it by a window. Then, with a piece of paper and a ball point pen, she wrote, in large, cursive lettering,

YES!

And taped it onto his door. She could have texted him, but decided to keep the note passing business.

With a happy bounce in her step she locked her apartment, heading to her car in the lot outside.

* * *

Laurence sat in his office, finishing off paperwork for Dewitt. Weekly reports on dolls, ensuring their sanity...or not, however you would put it. A single light on his desk shone, a grey pen in hand, a pair of glasses on the bridge of his nose. A cautious knock startled him from his thoughts, and he looked up to see Topher, hands in his pockets, looking nervous as ever.

"What?"

"Er, Dewitt asked me to do her a favor. Can you be here Sunday?"

He glared at the boy. "She asked you to come down here and ask me to do overtime?"

Topher nervously laughed. "Ahhhm, well...the dollhouse is a constantly on call job y'know...and she asked me to ask you because she's swamped with paperwork..."

"Speaking of paperwork, I shouldn't be doing this shit, seeing as I don't spend nearly as much time with the dolls as you do... And no." He returned to the paperwork, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"No?"

"No, I'm not showing up on Sunday. I have..plans."

Topher's eyebrows raised. "Woahhh! The workaholic is finally taking a day off! Dang, that's the second time in like, two weeks!"

He raised his angry glare to Topher again. "Get out of my office."

"Aww, c'mon. I'm just now finding out Dom has hobbies! What do you do, crochet?" Topher sat in front of Laurence, smiling devilishly.

"No. Stop pushing me. Get the hell out."

"No, then. Lemme guess...arts and crafts? Dancing? Oh, why would anyone dance on a Sunday. Gardening? Yoga? Ohhh, I know!" His smile grew wider. "Stripper!"

This earned him a pen in the face.

"Ow!" Topher didn't duck fast enough, rubbing his cheek. Laurence's phone on the desk buzzed, and Topher glanced to it, seeing it was a call from..a girl?

"Woah! Dominic got himself a date! Highfive! …." Laurence simply glared at him, rejecting the call, and Topher nervously lowered his hand. "Look, Dewitt is...Dewitt. And she'll ask questions. Sooooo, at least you already told someone! Practice makes perfect!"

Topher jumped up, attempting to leave.

"Topher, you say anything about this conversation to anyone and you will wish I was only a doll."


End file.
